PORTLAND, Ore. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers survey vessel Elton will line up with vessels from the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard in Astoria, Ore., for the 2011 Astoria Regatta, which also celebrates the city’s 200th birthday.
The Elton and her crew will participate in a memorial ceremony at Maritime Memorial Park, 200 W. Marine Drive, on Friday, Aug. 12 at 11 a.m. The vessel will host the American Legion Clatsop Post 12 color guard during the ceremony, which honors the more than 700 people who have lost their lives crossing the bar at the mouth of the Columbia River.
Following the memorial, the Elton will be moored at the Columbia River Maritime Museum at 1792 Marine Drive, Astoria, Ore. Visitors are welcome to tour the vessel and meet crew members Aug. 12 and 13, from 2 to 4:30 p.m.
Corps of Engineers survey vessels have served at the mouth of the Columbia River since the 1800’s, providing vital data to the bar pilots who guide ships safely to and from the Pacific Ocean. The Elton is one of four Portland District survey boats providing hydrosurvey data for areas along the Oregon coast and the Columbia and Lower Willamette rivers.